NEIGHBORHOOD SPOTLIGHT: Bishop Arts

Located in the heart of North Oak Cliff, and in one of Dallas’ most unique neighborhoods, the Bishop Arts District is home to over 60 independent boutiques, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, theaters and art galleries. A historical shopping district full of great finds, good eats, Bishop Arts is the perfect place to support local businesses as it is made up of many independently-owned shops and eateries that maintain various hours.

Photo Credit: Significant Space Blog

DID YOU KNOW?

The area was originally developed as warehouses and shops in the 1920s. In the 1930s, a trolley stop along Davis became Dallas’ busiest trolley stop. The district began a decline in the mid-60’s through the beginning of the 80’s. In the fall of 1984, Jim Lake saw a bargain in the now run down storefronts and began buying up property. He said, “Hopefully we’ll make money on this in the future, but in the first three to five years I’m gonna feed it.”Lake said of his decision to buy the property, “I just thought it needed saving.”

As a sign of his commitment, Lake provided, rent-free for a year, space for a police storefront. This was an important element in the area’s security and sense of community. Continuing through the 1990s and 2000s, renovations have taken place to transform the two city blocks into a walkable, urban environment.